Review of In the Heat of the Night (1967) by Jeffrey R — 20 Apr 2010

This is one of my favorite detective movies, although the "who" in this "whodunnit" is essentially a McGuffin. We are much more interesting in watching Virgil Tibbs, who is, for my money, one of the most bad-ass detectives in all of moviedom.

Virgil is a stand-out homicide detective in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, but we don't know this initially. In fact, Virgil is originally arrested, without being allowed to say a word in his own defense, as the prime suspect in the homicide investigation. "I'M A POLICE OFFICER!" is one of the greatest line in all of moviedom, for me (even better than "THEY CALL ME *MR.* *TIBBS*", the title of the eventual sequel). The way that Virgil goes on to be sucked involuntarily into the investigation (as lead investigator) and fight tooth-and-nail with the extremely bigoted law enforcement officers of Sparta, GA is classic. Virgil is always at least one step ahead of the local police, and the inferences he draws are never tenuous or barely-realistic, ala Agatha Christie or Holmes or Dupin. We (the audience) are sometimes ignorant of the evidence Virgil uses to make his deductions, but in retrospect, at least, his conclusions seem solid enough to make a CSI nod in approval.

I heartily recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good mystery or to see the "underdog" win.